VINCENT R. BALLETTA, JR.

1927-1996

Associate Justice: 1988-1996

Justice Vincent R. Balletta, Jr. was born on July 7, 1927 in Brookyln and grew up on Long Island. He graduated from Long Beach High School in 1944 and Columbia College in 1948. Balletta went on to receive his law degree from St. John's University in 1951. He served with the United States Army Counter-Intelligence Corps from 1951-1953. Balletta was then engaged in the private practice of law from 1953-1978. Additionally, he served as a councilman for the Town of North Hempstead from 1959-1966, and was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1967. In 1971, he was named chairman of the New York State Lottery Advisory Board by Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller, and he served as Commissioner of the Nassau County Planning Commission from 1972-1978.

Balletta was elected to the New York Supreme Court, Tenth Judicial District in 1978. He was designated to the Appellate Division, Second Department in 1988 by Gov. Mario M. Cuomo. He retired in 1996 after a total of 17 years on the bench.

Balletta was involved with several civic and fraternal organizations. He was a member of the Elks, the Lions, the Knights of Columbus, and the Sons of Italy, founded the Port Youth Council and the Don Monti Memorial Foundation, and worked with the Dante Foundation, the Boy Scouts, and North Shore Hospital.

He was married to Maria Sottosanti and had four children, Stephen, Richard, Michele and Andrea, and four grandchildren. He died as a result of cancer on October 4, 1996 at his home in Port Washington, Long Island.